Spray pyrolysis technique was employed to deposit vanadium pentoxide thin films at different substrate temperature of 300 degrees C, 325 degrees C, 350 degrees C, 375 degrees C and 400 degrees C from nitric acid added ammonium meta vanadate aqua precursor solution. X-ray diffraction analysis of the deposited films showed the formation of orthorhombic vanadium pentoxide phase with growth along (101) plane. Average crystallite size showed variation from 21 to 42 nm as a function of substrate temperature. The film deposited at 400 degrees C acquired average visible transmittance of similar to 77% in the 500-800 nm range. Direct optical band gap of the vanadium pentoxide thin film was slightly increased from 1.98 to 2.05 eV. Field emission scanning electron microscope and atomic force microscope studies showed that the size and shape of the flakes formed on the surface of the film deposited from the nitric acid added ammonium meta vanadate precursor solution were effectively modified with increase in substrate temperature. The carrier concentration and conductivity of the film deposited at 375 degrees C respectively is 2.138 x 10(13) cm(-3) and 1.0 x 10(-5) Omega(-1) cm(-1) which are relatively high when compared to other films. Photoluminescence spectra of the vanadium pentoxide films deposited at 375 degrees C and 400 degrees C showed intense emission peaks at 475 nm and 552 nm. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.